A Talk With Rick Telander Who Ruminates on the Marvin Hagler That He Knew

Published

3 years ago

March 13, 2022

Rick Assad

Sunday, March 13, marked the first anniversary of the death of Marvelous Marvin Hagler who was 66 when he passed away at his home in Bartlett, New Hampshire. During a 14-year career as a pro that began in 1973, Hagler had 67 professional fights, winning 62 with three defeats and two draws with 52 wins coming via knockout or stoppage.

Hagler experienced many highs and a few lows, one of which truly stood out. The date was April 6, 1987 and the site was Caesars Palace in Las Vegas when he took on Sugar Ray Leonard, who over the course of 12 rounds, edged Hagler on a split decision.

As it turned out, this would be the last time Hagler, the undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 through 1987, would step into a ring, and it surprised many.

Three years later, Rick Telander, then with Sports Illustrated, paid Hagler a visit in Milan, Italy, where he was living and working.

Telander’s story appeared in the July 2, 1990, issue with Hagler smiling on the cover and the headline blaring “It’s A Marvelous Life” and the subhead reading “Pugilist-Turned-Actor Marvin Hagler At Home In Milan – Far Away From Sugar Ray.”

On the surface, and according to Telander, Hagler seemed at peace with his life. “He was making the best of that necessary transition, that little death we all athletes must experience – the end of a career or dream that is based on and dependent on one’s youth,” he said.

That middleweight clash with two belts on the line was razor close and had some ringside observers siding with Hagler and others favoring Leonard.

Judge Lou Filippo had Hagler winning 115-113 while Dave Moretti scored it 115-113 in favor of Leonard. The most lopsided score came from JoJo Guerra, who had Leonard claiming a 118-110 victory.

Ron Borges of the Boston Globe, ESPN’s Al Bernstein, Jerry Izenberg of the Newark Star-Ledger, and Pat Putnam of Sports Illustrated were among those sitting close to the action who scored the fight for Hagler. They all had it 115-113.

Those who felt Leonard won included ABC’s Howard Cosell and Michael Katz of the New York Daily News. Both had it 117-112.

Others who gave Leonard the decision were Sports Illustrated’s William Nack (116-114) and Gil Clancy of CBS (115-113).

Some saw it deadlocked including HBO’s Larry Merchant and Dave Anderson of the New York Times. Each had it 114-114. Because so many at ringside had differing views, it’s clear the fight could have gone to either man.

In all likelihood, Hagler, born in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts, had enough talent, skill and determination that he could have continued to box and perhaps avenge that setback to Leonard. In fact, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum offered Hagler a minimum of $15 million for a rematch, but Hagler declined.

What is Rick Telander’s sense of why there wasn’t a second fight?

“That remains a mystery. It is possible he actually was content with quitting boxing, with moving on to a new life, a new career, a wholly new chapter in a new land,” he offered. “And money had nothing to do with it. Some people must be like that. It seems improbable. Freddie Roach once told me no boxer he ever trained – including, of course, himself – ever left as champion. Perhaps Hagler truly was at peace with his legacy and ambition. It’s also possible he knew he was done as a fighter, that he could never beat Leonard or these “pretty boy” fighters coming along.”

Telander, the lead sports columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times, continued: “I could never tell,” he said. “And I think those that make a declaration about his intentions and mental state are only speculating, devising judgment from their own states of mind and extrapolations.”

Still, having to live with that loss, a fight Hagler believed he won, had to have played with his ego?

“I know it was a heavy burden on him. It was the end, or the start, or something powerful in his life,” Telander said. “He never went back. Never turned around. Never said he’d kill Leonard in a rematch, never boasted. He just left the fight game. That is some kind of catalyst.”

Telander, who has had eight stories included in the Best American Sports Writing anthologies and was the 2020 recipient of the Dan Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportswriting, said Hagler seemed to enjoy interacting with people he would meet in Italy.

Had Hagler in fact gone from fierce warrior to gentle soul practically overnight?

“I don’t think he was a changed man. I think for the most part he was always that way. I think a kind of “split personality’’ in athletes in violent sports is way more common than most fans and observers know,” said Telander, a one-time football standout at Northwestern University who was drafted in 1971 by the Kansas City Chiefs in the eighth round.

“I know lots of football players, linebackers, headhunters and the like, who are vicious, what we might call “killers” on the field but are pussycats off it. The athletes who can’t turn aggression off, or who are only brutal and nasty in life and everywhere, who aren’t able to socialize themselves – those are the ones who get in trouble. Our prisons are filled with them. It’s a very thin line to walk. The best do it naturally. Others must work at it. I think Hagler, like many boxers, realized the ring was his special place to become that other thing, and outside it he could turn the rage off.

I could be wrong. George Foreman had a seeming personality change – from a nasty, nonverbal thug to a smiling sweet guy – near the end of his youthful career. Then he got back in the ring and could be aging George Foreman with an attitude, while selling grills on the side. Hagler, I feel, had that in him too. He just never re-entered the ring.”

Was it better that Hagler left the big stage fully intact and with a brain that still functioned?

“He may have gotten out to keep his wits intact. Leonard shocked him – he says he never was hurt, and he likely was not. But Leonard also may have shown him how close he was to a serious disaster,” Telander said. “He didn’t know about CTE back then, but he certainly knew about pugilistica dementia – ‘punch drunk.’’’ Old, pitiable, punch-drunk boxers were everywhere.”

Telander, the author or co-author of 10 books including the classic “Heaven Is A Playground,” has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, but said Hagler is one of his favorites.

Telander

“I’d put him right near the very top, maybe at the top. That is because I talked to him when he was in an entirely different country, speaking a different language, in a different craft than the one he’d utilized to become rich and famous,” he said. “He was a different thing. He was reborn.

He was, in certain lights, a loser on the run. In other ways, he was a big winner on a new adventure. He was in control of his new life, and for many ex-athletes, that is rare.”

Like so many, Telander is torn between the violence in boxing and whether it belongs in a civilized society.

“Boxing is a paradox for me. I think it’s terrible and should be banned (like MMA) – attempting to kill another man’s body and/or brain – what can be right about that? But still I like, even at times love, the sport,” he said. “It shouldn’t be that way. It’s embarrassing to feel this way. But it is such a difficult, primitive, beautiful, hideous, fascinating sport – what can I say?”

Regardless of how one feels on this issue, the manly sport, although often cruel and certainly unforgiving, can also save individuals like Hagler and so many others from a life of poverty and ruin.

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Emanuel Navarrete Survives a Bloody Battle with Charly Suarez in San Diego

Published

59 minutes ago

May 11, 2025

David A. Avila

Emanuel-Navarrete-Survives-a-Bloody-Battle-with-Charly-Suarez-in-San-Diego

In a torrid battle Mexico’s Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and his staccato attack staved off the herky-jerky non-stop assaults of Philippine’s Charly Suarez to win by technical decision and retain the WBO super feather world title on Saturday.

What do they feed these guys?

Navarrete (40-2-1, 32 KOs) and his elongated arms managed to connect enough to compensate against the surprising Suarez (18-1, 10 KOs) who wowed the crowd at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

An accidental clash of heads opened a cut on the side of Navarrete’s left eye and forced a stoppage midway through the fight.

From the opening round Navarrete used his windmill style of attack with punches from different angles that caught Suarez multiple times early. It did not matter. Suarez fired back with impunity and was just as hungry to punch it out with the Mexican fighter.

It was savage.

Every time Navarrete connected solidly, he seemed to pause and check out the damage. Bad idea. Suarez would immediately counter with bombs of his own and surprise the champion with his resilience and tenacity.

Wherever they found Suarez they should look for more, because the Filipino fighter from Manila was ferocious and never out of his depth.

Around the sixth round the Mexican fighter seemed a little drained and puzzled at the tireless attacks coming from Suarez. During an exchange of blows a cut opened up on Navarrete and it was ruled an accidental clash of heads by the referee. Blood streamed down the side of Navarrete’s face and it was cleared by the ringside physician.

But at the opening of the eighth round, the fight was stopped and the ringside physician ruled the cut was too bad to continue. The California State Athletic Commission looked at tape of the round when the cut opened to decipher if it was an accidental butt or a punch that caused the cut. It was unclear so the referee’s call of accidental clash of heads stood as the final ruling.

Score cards from the judges saw Navarrete the winner by scores of 78-75, 77-76 twice. He retains the WBO title.

Interim IBF Lightweight Title

The sharp-shooting Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs) maneuvered past Russia’s Zaur Abdullaev (20-2, 12 KOs) by unanimous decision to win the interim IBF lightweight title after 12 rounds.

Both fighters were strategic in their approach with Muratalla switching from orthodox to southpaw at various times of the fight. Neither fighter was ever able to dominant any round.

Defense proved the difference between the two lightweights. Muratalla was able to slip more blows than Abdullaev and that proved the difference. The fighter from Fontana, California was able to pierce Abdullaev’s guard more often than not, especially with counter punches.

Abdullaev was never out of the fight. The Russian fighter was able to change tactics and counter the counters midway through the fight. It proved effective especially to the body. But it was not enough to offset Muratalla’s accuracy.

There were no knockdowns and after 12 rounds the judges scored it 118-110, 119-109 twice for Muratalla who now becomes the mandatory for the IBF lightweight title should Vasyl Lomachenko return to defend it.

Muratalla was brief.

“He was a tough fighter,” said Muratalla. “My defense is something I work on a lot.”

Perla Wins

Super flyweight Perla Bazaldua (2-0) eased past Mona Ward (0-2) with a polished display of fighting at length and inside.

Combination punching and defense allowed Bazaldua to punch in-between Ward’s attacks and force the St. Louis fighter to clinch repeatedly. But Ward hung in there despite taking a lot of blows. After four rounds the Los Angeles-based Bazaldua was scored the winner 40-36 on all three cards. Bazaldua signed a long term contract with Top Rank in March.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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Late Bloomer Anthony Cacace TKOs Hometown Favorite Leigh Wood in Nottingham

Published

15 hours ago

May 10, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Late-Bloomer-Anthony-Cacace-TKOs-Hometown-Favorite-Leigh-Wood-in-Nottingham

Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions was at Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England, tonight with a card featuring hometown favorite Leigh Wood against Ireland’s Anthony “Apache” Cacace.

Wood, a former two-time WBA featherweight champion, known for dramatic comebacks in bouts he was losing, may have reached the end of the road at age 36. He had his moments tonight, rocking Cacace on several occasions and winning the eighth round, but he paid the price, returning to his corner after round eight with swelling around both of his eyes.

In the ninth, Cacace, an 11/5 favorite, hurt Wood twice with left hands, the second of which knocked Wood into the ropes, dictating a standing 8-count by referee John Latham. When the bout resumed, Cacace went for the kill and battered Wood around the ring, forcing Wood’s trainer Ben Davison to throw in the towel. The official time was 2:15 of round nine.

Akin to Wood, Northern Ireland’s Cacace (24-1, 9 KOs) is also 36 years old and known as a late bloomer. This was his ninth straight win going back to 2017 (he missed all of 2018 and 2020). He formerly held the IBF 130-pound world title, a diadem he won with a stoppage of then-undefeated and heavily favored Joe Cordina, but that belt wasn’t at stake tonight as Cacace abandoned it rather than fulfill his less-lucrative mandatory. Wood falls to 28-4.

Semi-Wind-Up

Nottingham light heavyweight Ezra Taylor, fighting in his hometown for the first time since pro debut, delighted his fan base with a comprehensive 10-round decision over previously undefeated Troy Jones. Taylor, who improved to 12-0 (9) won by scores of 100-90, 99-91, and 98-92.

This was Taylor’s first fight with new trainer Malik Scott, best known for his work with Deontay Wilder. The victory may have earned him a match with Commonwealth title-holder Lewis Edmondson. Jones was 12-0 heading in.

Other Bouts of Note

In his first fight as a featherweight, Liam Davies rebounded from his first defeat with a 12-round unanimous decision over Northern Ireland’s previously undefeated Kurt Walker. Davies, who improved to 17-1 (8), staved off a late rally to prevail on scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 117-111. It was the first pro loss for the 30-year-old Walker (12-1), a Tokyo Olympian.

In a mild upset, Owen Cooper, a saucy Worcestershire man, won a 10-round decision over former Josh Taylor stablemate Chris Kongo. The referee’s scorecard read 96-94.

Cooper improved to 11-1 (4). It was the third loss in 20 starts for Kongo.

A non-televised 8-rounder featured junior welterweight Sam Noakes in a stay-busy fight. A roofer by trade and the brother of British welterweight title-holder Sean Noakes, Sam improved to 17-0 (15 KOs) with a third-round stoppage of overmatched Czech import Patrik Balez (13-5-1).

Photo credit: Leigh Dawney / Queensberry

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 326: Top Rank and San Diego Smoke

Published

2 days ago

May 9, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 326: Top Rank and San Diego Smoke

Years ago, I worked at a newsstand in the Beverly Hills area. It was a 24-hour a day version and the people that dropped by were very colorful and unique.

One elderly woman Eva, who bordered on homeless but pridefully wore lipstick, would stop by the newsstand weekly to purchase a pack of menthol cigarettes. On one occasion, she asked if I had ever been to San Diego?

I answered “yes, many times.”

She countered “you need to watch out for San Diego Smoke.”

This Saturday, Top Rank brings its brand of prizefighting to San Diego or what could be called San Diego Smoke. Leading the fight card is Mexico’s Emanuel Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) defending the WBO super feather title against undefeated Filipino Charly Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs) at Pechanga Arena. ESPN will televise.

This is Navarrete’s fourth defense of the super feather title.

The last time Navarrete stepped in the boxing ring he needed six rounds to dismantle the very capable Oscar Valdez in their rematch. One thing about Mexico City’s Navarrete is he always brings “the smoke.”

Also, on the same card is Fontana, California’s Raymond Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs) vying for the interim IBF lightweight title against Russia’s Zaur Abdullaev (20-1, 12 KOs) on the co-main event.

Abdullaev has only fought once before in the USA and was handily defeated by Devin Haney back in 2019. But that was six years ago and since then he has knocked off various contenders.

Muratalla is a slick fighting lightweight who trains at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy now in Moreno Valley, Calif. It’s a virtual boot camp with many of the top fighters on the West Coast available to spar on a daily basis. If you need someone bigger or smaller, stronger or faster someone can match those needs.

When you have that kind of preparation available, it’s tough to beat. Still, you have to fight the fight. You never know what can happen inside the prize ring.

Another fighter to watch is Perla Bazaldua, 19, a young and very talented female fighter out of the Los Angeles area. She is trained by Manny Robles who is building a small army of top female fighters.

Bazaldua (1-0, 1 KO) meets Mona Ward (0-1) in a super flyweight match on the preliminary portion of the Top Rank card. Top Rank does not sign many female fighters so you know that they believe in her talent.

Others on the Top Rank card in San Diego include Giovani Santillan, Andres Cortes, Albert Gonzalez, Sebastian Gonzalez and others.

They all will bring a lot of smoke to San Diego.

Probox TV

A strong card led by Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin (26-2, 18 KOs) facing Ardreal Holmes Jr. (17-0, 6 KOs) in a super welterweight clash between southpaws takes place on Saturday at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida. PROBOX TV will stream the fight card.

Ardreal has rocketed up the standings and now faces veteran Lubin whose only losses came against world titlists Sebastian Fundora and Jermell Charlo. It’s a great match to decide who deserves a world title fight next.

Another juicy match pits Argentina’s Nazarena Romero (14-0-2) against Mexico’s Mayelli Flores (12-1-1) in a female super bantamweight contest.

Nottingham, England

Anthony Cacace (23-1, 8 KOs) defends the IBO super featherweight title against Leigh Wood (28-3, 17 KOs) in Wood’s hometown on Saturday at Nottingham Arena in Nottingham, England. DAZN will stream the Queensberry Promotions card.

Ireland’s Cacace seems to have the odds against him. But he is no stranger to dancing in the enemy’s lair or on foreign territory. He formerly defeated Josh Warrington in London and Joe Cordina in Riyadh in IBO title defenses.

Lampley at Wild Card

Boxing telecaster Jim Lampley will be signing his new book It Happened! at the Wild Card Boxing gym in Hollywood, Calif. on Saturday, May 10, beginning at 2 p.m. Lampley has been a large part of many of the greatest boxing events in the past 40 years. He and Freddie Roach will be at the signing.

Fights to Watch (All times Pacific Time)

Sat. DAZN 11 a.m. Anthony Cacace (23-1) vs Leigh Wood (28-3).

Sat. PROBOX.tv 3 p.m. Erickson Lubin (26-2) vs Ardreal Holmes Jr. (17-0).

Sat. ESPN 7 p.m. Emanuel Navarrete (39-2-1) vs Charly Suarez (18-0); Raymond Muratalla (22-0) vs Zaur Abdullaev (20-1).

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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